Kissimmee – A proposed change to Florida’s property tax system is prompting debate over potential savings for homeowners and the impact those savings could have on essential services in Osceola County.
State Sen. Kristen Arrington joined county officials and residents at a Kissimmee town hall to discuss Amendment 3, which would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000 by 2028.
Supporters say the measure could deliver meaningful property tax relief to qualifying homeowners. Local leaders, however, warned that the resulting revenue loss could affect public services, infrastructure projects and county programs.
“When you ask the question what will be impacted? Everything will be impacted in Osceola County,” said County Commission Chair Brandon Arrington.
County officials estimate that Osceola could lose about $79 million in revenue if Amendment 3 passes. The shortfall could reach the general revenue fund, emergency medical services, libraries and the Save Osceola program.
In preparation for possible financial pressure, the county is already planning to cut $12 million from next year’s budget, freeze hiring and put capital projects on hold. Road improvements and other county services could also be affected.
Arrington said county officials have also warned thousands of businesses that their contracts could be affected by the potential loss of revenue.
“We already sent notices to 83,000 vendors that do business with the county letting them know their contracts may be in jeopardy or eliminated,” he said.
Arrington cautioned that lowering property taxes would not remove the cost of operating essential government services.
“It sounds great. We would all like to save money, but I would say unfortunately this measure is more of a tax shift,” she said. “At the end of the day, someone will have to pay for essential services.”
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The town hall underscored the central trade-off: homeowners could see lower tax bills, while local governments could have less money available for services residents depend on.
That possibility concerned some people who attended the meeting.
“I really think this will be detrimental to the community I live in because we really need these services,” said Michael Woods, who attended the meeting.
Other attendees said the discussion gave them a clearer understanding of Amendment 3, though they had not yet decided how they would vote.
“It was very educational,” one attendee said.
After the town hall, the woman said she wanted to gather more information before deciding how she felt about Amendment 3.
“I still want to go home and do my own research, but I have a little bit more clarity on it,” she said.
With the general election approaching, Osceola County voters will weigh whether potential property tax savings are worth the possible effect on local government revenue and the services their communities rely on.
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